This invention relates generally to packing glands and the like, and more particularly, to a packing gland assembly utilized to seal movable shafts which undergo rotational or axial movement, or both, in a housing associated with pressurized fluid conditions on the order of, for example, 6000 psi.
In this regard, the packing gland assembly provided by the present invention may be appropriately adjusted in regard to the separate axial and radial loading on the gland so as to function in accordance with the particular pressures encountered. Necessarily, the packing seal must exert greater sealing pressure on a shaft associated therewith when subjected to higher fluid pressure conditions. In addition it is to be understood that the fluid pressures referred to hereinbelow include fluids in both the gaseous and liquid states.
One of the critical problems encountered in packing gland assemblies for use in the above type of application is that high fluid pressures can, in general, only be effectively sealed by the use of a plurality of packing glands or sealing rings. However, in using such a plurality of sealing rings on a rotating or axially sliding shaft, or a shaft undergoing both types of motion, more power than necessary is lost due to the additional friction surface area of the multiple seals than would be the case if a single sealing ring could be used in an effective manner. Although the present invention is capable of utilizing multiple sealing rings, it has been found that the individual tightening adjustment of a single sealing ring in both the axial and radial directions in most situations makes the use of multiple sealing rings unnecessary.
In addition, a good number of prior art packing gland assemblies include relatively complex components which make disassembly thereof relatively difficult. In this regard, the present invention seeks to overcome this shortcoming of the prior art also.